And Lakey had to get in on the Winter fun...by hugging is "dwog willy gwirl" (translation: his dog lilly girl)
Maybe we really will have a White Christmas!!!!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Winter FUN
Yay for snow! Yes, I really did just say that! It was fun to have a little bit of snow and cold. I am over it now, but it was fun to put on cute winter clothes and wake up to snow on the ground.
And Lakey had to get in on the Winter fun...by hugging is "dwog willy gwirl" (translation: his dog lilly girl)
Maybe we really will have a White Christmas!!!!
And Lakey had to get in on the Winter fun...by hugging is "dwog willy gwirl" (translation: his dog lilly girl)
Maybe we really will have a White Christmas!!!!
Secret Millionaire
Have you seen the show Secret Millionaire on Fox yet? I watched it for the first time a couple weekends ago and feel like I had a life changing experience. I was so frustrated the last few months with my lack of dreams and vision for my life. I had been whining to Sam the week before with lots of tears involved that I just didn't know what I wanted to do next. Then I watched this show....
Honestly, I felt like I was watching one of the most brilliant things I had ever seen. After the first show I called Sam and cried for 30 minutes about why this was the most amazing show ever and how I HAD TO respond. He simply smiled and asked me what this whole business about having no vision and dreams for my life was? I guess I do have vision and sometimes it takes other people's stories to inspire us and call out what is within us. That is what exicites me about life. Our stories have the ability to change the direction of the lives around us. This is one of my most favorite things about Sam...his passion to tell someone's story through a picture--Someone who might never have their story told. People's stories always have something to teach us. We just have to be listening. Our stories and what we do with them and the stories of those around us are such a cool and precious gift that God gives humanity.
The premise of the show is pretty simple. Take extremely wealthy people into places they might never see and give them a chance to change lives. The irony? Their lives are the most changed. Typically the show takes them to places in their city where heartache and poverty are rampant. They are dropped in a situation where they live and work among people all week, posing as people living on the current welfare wage for that week. They tell people that they are being filmed for a documentary on homeless or living on minimum wage. It is phenomenal to see their whole life change in less than a week. They agree to give at least $100,000 of their own money away to people they choose. I won't give away the show but them giving the money away is pretty powerful as they reveal that they really are multi-millionaires and through tears most of the time they also reveal it would be their honor and privilege to give them this check.
The creators of this show are BRILLIANT. I was pretty skeptical of this show at first but have been thoroughly impressed with what they have done. And now on their website they have a section called "Have you been inspired? How are you giving back?" Genius, sheer genius! I have been a part of so many trips and local aid experiences but for some reason this show made so much sense to me. You are changing lives in the most effective way and then inspiring others at the same time. You watch people that needed a miracle receive one, and at the same time you watch someone that had no idea what looking at prices at a grocery store was like get to be a miracle for someone else. Both sides are humbled. I can't help but know that the God who cares for and loves humanity is at the heart of this. Regardless of the creators of this shows spiritual preference, God's heart is to love people and transform people. It is incredible to see a network take a characteristic of God and share it with us in such a creative way.
Each week I find myself crying at lives being changed....I can't help it. I am a sucker for a heart being transformed and realizing that world is such a big place. The most consistent thing you hear on this show is shock at how generous people that are in such less fortunate situations than the millionaires are. The irony once again? The generosity of someone making minimum wage is what changes the heart of people that have the money and influence to change the lives of those that are the most generous. Generosity has very little to do with money, it of course is one aspect of it but only one small aspect and it definitely goes beyond that. What a good reminder at Christmas when it is so fun and easy to get caught up in money and gifts.
Go watch the show...even if you don't end up in tears like me every week I think you will love to watch the human spirit at work.
Honestly, I felt like I was watching one of the most brilliant things I had ever seen. After the first show I called Sam and cried for 30 minutes about why this was the most amazing show ever and how I HAD TO respond. He simply smiled and asked me what this whole business about having no vision and dreams for my life was? I guess I do have vision and sometimes it takes other people's stories to inspire us and call out what is within us. That is what exicites me about life. Our stories have the ability to change the direction of the lives around us. This is one of my most favorite things about Sam...his passion to tell someone's story through a picture--Someone who might never have their story told. People's stories always have something to teach us. We just have to be listening. Our stories and what we do with them and the stories of those around us are such a cool and precious gift that God gives humanity.
The premise of the show is pretty simple. Take extremely wealthy people into places they might never see and give them a chance to change lives. The irony? Their lives are the most changed. Typically the show takes them to places in their city where heartache and poverty are rampant. They are dropped in a situation where they live and work among people all week, posing as people living on the current welfare wage for that week. They tell people that they are being filmed for a documentary on homeless or living on minimum wage. It is phenomenal to see their whole life change in less than a week. They agree to give at least $100,000 of their own money away to people they choose. I won't give away the show but them giving the money away is pretty powerful as they reveal that they really are multi-millionaires and through tears most of the time they also reveal it would be their honor and privilege to give them this check.
The creators of this show are BRILLIANT. I was pretty skeptical of this show at first but have been thoroughly impressed with what they have done. And now on their website they have a section called "Have you been inspired? How are you giving back?" Genius, sheer genius! I have been a part of so many trips and local aid experiences but for some reason this show made so much sense to me. You are changing lives in the most effective way and then inspiring others at the same time. You watch people that needed a miracle receive one, and at the same time you watch someone that had no idea what looking at prices at a grocery store was like get to be a miracle for someone else. Both sides are humbled. I can't help but know that the God who cares for and loves humanity is at the heart of this. Regardless of the creators of this shows spiritual preference, God's heart is to love people and transform people. It is incredible to see a network take a characteristic of God and share it with us in such a creative way.
Each week I find myself crying at lives being changed....I can't help it. I am a sucker for a heart being transformed and realizing that world is such a big place. The most consistent thing you hear on this show is shock at how generous people that are in such less fortunate situations than the millionaires are. The irony once again? The generosity of someone making minimum wage is what changes the heart of people that have the money and influence to change the lives of those that are the most generous. Generosity has very little to do with money, it of course is one aspect of it but only one small aspect and it definitely goes beyond that. What a good reminder at Christmas when it is so fun and easy to get caught up in money and gifts.
Go watch the show...even if you don't end up in tears like me every week I think you will love to watch the human spirit at work.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Things I will miss at home...
My crazy roommate...who has decided to deal with the emotions of me leaving by being logically bratty. When she starts loving me too much or is cuddling with me and realizes she will miss me she pipes up with "I am actually so glad that you are going. I need more room in my room for my toys." Or my most recent favorite was when she got mad at me because I called her out on annoying Elli and then told her she couldn't talk mean to me either...she stomps up to Sea Jay and Banning's room and says, "I want Dana out of my room." I actually think she might have said "her" not Dana...hehehe She makes me SMILE HUGE. I am going to miss her so much! This picture was at her performance on Saturday night. I wanted a cute picture of us together to put in her room and for me...nope she wasn't feelin' it at all and I have about 10 pictures with her not being just calm and normal. Which really in the end is her so why did I think that I would want a different picture :)
I will miss my little dates with Lakey. On Sunday morning we went to Bagels and he was in extra cute rare form. Thought he was pretty cool that he got a candy cane bagel, but proceeded to say Thank you for my cotton candy bagel. He also got a little bit of "hassle time" because he kept saying mean things. But I had to not laugh when he told the bagel girl she was "weird" but I didn't understand him so I didn't say anything, but looked at me with big eyes and said "I wuz just not nice dana." He then kept telling me he was a race car driver like Sam and then he was dying to take my picture with the camera...which just made me smile. My other favorite Lakey moment was when he was eating M&M's he found on the counter yesterday morning (yep I said morning) and I said Lakey no candy in the morning (which really who did make that rule anyway?) You cannot have any more sugar this morning. Which he looked at me and said, "It is not sugar is is food. There is no sugar in candy." Then he said okay dana... Next thing I hear the fridge beep that it is open. He comes running towards me and says, "I need ice cream. It is not sugar or candy it is food." Really? Is he that cute?
I will miss things like "Gingerbread Houses Craziness" that starts out as a night that Sea Jay designs to be so fun and a memory...
I will miss Elli's fun spirit and creative heart and mind...she is still in her performance make up...she was the BEST dancer hands down!! And the prettiest, too...
And I will for sure miss when the fun turns to melt down tears...
(can you see the huge tears streaming down her face?)
Now you can, huh?
She was mad Lakey kept eating all the candy and her house couldn't go according to plan...oh I so got it...we like plans
He really likes candy...he said to me that night..."dana I wuv candy"
Really really likes candy...can you tell?
But really how sweet is this moment? Though Lakey couldn't pull himself away from the candy to comfort Raya any more than letting her cry on his shoulder but so cute!!! What a good boyfriend and husband he will make in this house full of emotional females!
I will miss my little dates with Lakey. On Sunday morning we went to Bagels and he was in extra cute rare form. Thought he was pretty cool that he got a candy cane bagel, but proceeded to say Thank you for my cotton candy bagel. He also got a little bit of "hassle time" because he kept saying mean things. But I had to not laugh when he told the bagel girl she was "weird" but I didn't understand him so I didn't say anything, but looked at me with big eyes and said "I wuz just not nice dana." He then kept telling me he was a race car driver like Sam and then he was dying to take my picture with the camera...which just made me smile. My other favorite Lakey moment was when he was eating M&M's he found on the counter yesterday morning (yep I said morning) and I said Lakey no candy in the morning (which really who did make that rule anyway?) You cannot have any more sugar this morning. Which he looked at me and said, "It is not sugar is is food. There is no sugar in candy." Then he said okay dana... Next thing I hear the fridge beep that it is open. He comes running towards me and says, "I need ice cream. It is not sugar or candy it is food." Really? Is he that cute?
I will miss things like "Gingerbread Houses Craziness" that starts out as a night that Sea Jay designs to be so fun and a memory...
I will miss Elli's fun spirit and creative heart and mind...she is still in her performance make up...she was the BEST dancer hands down!! And the prettiest, too...
And I will for sure miss when the fun turns to melt down tears...
(can you see the huge tears streaming down her face?)
Now you can, huh?
She was mad Lakey kept eating all the candy and her house couldn't go according to plan...oh I so got it...we like plans
He really likes candy...he said to me that night..."dana I wuv candy"
Really really likes candy...can you tell?
But really how sweet is this moment? Though Lakey couldn't pull himself away from the candy to comfort Raya any more than letting her cry on his shoulder but so cute!!! What a good boyfriend and husband he will make in this house full of emotional females!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Why I Love The Number 27
I grew up on Sesame Street. I actually thought they were my friends that came to see me every day in the little box in the living room. (and I really wonder why I think the Friends characters are really my friends??? Disturbing, I know, but true nonetheless) I remember Sesame Street being one of the first moments I realized that the world did not revolve around me. Some days I still have to work on that, but this was the first of many lessons in that arena. I was quietly (well, truth be known I didn't do much quiet when I was a kid so it probably wasn't that quiet) watching Sesame Street one morning. My mom told me we had to go down to see my dad at school where he worked. I LOVED doing that, it was TONS of people to go greet and mingle. Mind you I wasn't in kindergarten yet so I was only 3 or 4, I just LOVED people.
We went down, I saw tons of people, we came home. I smiled big as I walked in the house to see my "friends." I turned on channel 6 and was horrified. It was Reading Rainbow or some dumb show about animals. Now I have nothing against reading or rainbows...and well, I do have a slight aversion to animals, but that is not why I was horrified--my friends were gone. I looked at my mom and said where are they? And she tried to explain the concept of TV show times to me. Yep, didn't care and didn't get it. I remember just thinking sadly, "they didn't wait for me..." Hhmm issues as a small kid?? :)
Moving on to why I am reminiscing about Sesame Street. Do you remember the old school Number commercials they always had? I found one on YouTube and had to add it just to bring a smile to some of your faces like it did mine when I saw it.
C'mon you know you loved the "1-2-3-4-5...6-7-8-9 10, 11, Tweleeevve" I mean really who didn't love to sing out 12 the way they did on Sesame Street. Then they always had the show "brought to you by the Number ? and the Letter ?" And then that number and letter was all through out the show...I mean really, didn't you love the number 12 and the Lady Bug Picnic song that went with that? Well in my life right now I would for sure end my show with..."and brought to you by the number 27" (which they kind of never did...it was always a number under 12, but it is my dream so I took artistic license with it. The 27th has rapidly became my favorite number the last couple of weeks because on the 27th Sam comes to the States!!! Yay for no more long distance for at least 6 months!!! And on the 27th I will officially make my move back down LA and become a So. Cal. girl once again.
Living in Redding the last 3 months has been SOOO good and I am desperately going to miss my friends, my 6 year old roommate, the bagel shop, being 2 mins from most of my friends, 5 mins from Target, getting off at 5 and being home by 5:05, the kids, and the memories that were here and the ones that were newly made. But I am ready to do the next thing. I surprisingly am really ready to get back to LA. I NEVER thought I would hear those words come out of my mouth. But I miss some of the life I lived down there. I miss being a part of a community like Mosaic and I LOVE Redding, but right now in this time of my life I LOVE visiting and having this be the place I turn off and don't think, the place where I am known as Auntie Dana, the place where my biggest decision is what time should we go get bagels.
I have LOVED the boss I work for up here and am so thankful for the opportunity and the rest it has been, while it has been crazy some of the stuff we are doing I feel like I got a chance to rest, not be so intense, decompress from experience the last year and feel refreshed for my next adventure. I start my new job on Jan 5th....So LA here I come...not going to lie the best part of LA to me is going to be holding hands with Sam....
We went down, I saw tons of people, we came home. I smiled big as I walked in the house to see my "friends." I turned on channel 6 and was horrified. It was Reading Rainbow or some dumb show about animals. Now I have nothing against reading or rainbows...and well, I do have a slight aversion to animals, but that is not why I was horrified--my friends were gone. I looked at my mom and said where are they? And she tried to explain the concept of TV show times to me. Yep, didn't care and didn't get it. I remember just thinking sadly, "they didn't wait for me..." Hhmm issues as a small kid?? :)
Moving on to why I am reminiscing about Sesame Street. Do you remember the old school Number commercials they always had? I found one on YouTube and had to add it just to bring a smile to some of your faces like it did mine when I saw it.
C'mon you know you loved the "1-2-3-4-5...6-7-8-9 10, 11, Tweleeevve" I mean really who didn't love to sing out 12 the way they did on Sesame Street. Then they always had the show "brought to you by the Number ? and the Letter ?" And then that number and letter was all through out the show...I mean really, didn't you love the number 12 and the Lady Bug Picnic song that went with that? Well in my life right now I would for sure end my show with..."and brought to you by the number 27" (which they kind of never did...it was always a number under 12, but it is my dream so I took artistic license with it. The 27th has rapidly became my favorite number the last couple of weeks because on the 27th Sam comes to the States!!! Yay for no more long distance for at least 6 months!!! And on the 27th I will officially make my move back down LA and become a So. Cal. girl once again.
Living in Redding the last 3 months has been SOOO good and I am desperately going to miss my friends, my 6 year old roommate, the bagel shop, being 2 mins from most of my friends, 5 mins from Target, getting off at 5 and being home by 5:05, the kids, and the memories that were here and the ones that were newly made. But I am ready to do the next thing. I surprisingly am really ready to get back to LA. I NEVER thought I would hear those words come out of my mouth. But I miss some of the life I lived down there. I miss being a part of a community like Mosaic and I LOVE Redding, but right now in this time of my life I LOVE visiting and having this be the place I turn off and don't think, the place where I am known as Auntie Dana, the place where my biggest decision is what time should we go get bagels.
I have LOVED the boss I work for up here and am so thankful for the opportunity and the rest it has been, while it has been crazy some of the stuff we are doing I feel like I got a chance to rest, not be so intense, decompress from experience the last year and feel refreshed for my next adventure. I start my new job on Jan 5th....So LA here I come...not going to lie the best part of LA to me is going to be holding hands with Sam....
Friday, December 5, 2008
Okay so my new favorite artist is Jason Mraz. I am not that into music but my friend Sea Jay called me one day and said I HAD TO LISTEN to this one song--Lucky. I did and loved it! It made me smile and I bought on iTunes right away. I was listening to him on Pandora today while I was changing the world one IT problem at a time :) And I heard one of his songs that was perfect for me today...it is off my favorite album of his.
The song I heard today "Details In The Fabric" kind of felt like my theme song today. His songs just make me smile. Today this one just seemed to be a good reminder of what I needed. I kind of take myself a tad too serious sometimes and feel things so deeply and am far too introspective. So some days it takes a witty upbeat artist to give me perspective. We all need a little Jason Mraz in our life...just my opinion but I bet you will like him, too. You should check out his album for sure!
"Details In The Fabric"
Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads and
Breaking yourself up
If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it
And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own way
And everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
mmmhmm
Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
And everything, everything will be fine
Everything
Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?
Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.
Yeah everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything
Hold your own
And know your name
And go your own way
Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling? (Go your own way)
Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic (Go your own way)
Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine?
Are the things that make you blow (Hold your own, know your name)
Hell no reason go on and scream
If you’re shocked it's just the fault (Go your own way)
Of faulty manufacturing
Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Hearts will hold
The song I heard today "Details In The Fabric" kind of felt like my theme song today. His songs just make me smile. Today this one just seemed to be a good reminder of what I needed. I kind of take myself a tad too serious sometimes and feel things so deeply and am far too introspective. So some days it takes a witty upbeat artist to give me perspective. We all need a little Jason Mraz in our life...just my opinion but I bet you will like him, too. You should check out his album for sure!
"Details In The Fabric"
Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads and
Breaking yourself up
If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it
And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own way
And everything will be fine
Everything will be fine
mmmhmm
Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
And everything, everything will be fine
Everything
Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?
Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.
Yeah everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything
Hold your own
And know your name
And go your own way
Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling? (Go your own way)
Are the details in the fabric (Hold your own, know your name)
Are the things that make you panic (Go your own way)
Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine?
Are the things that make you blow (Hold your own, know your name)
Hell no reason go on and scream
If you’re shocked it's just the fault (Go your own way)
Of faulty manufacturing
Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Hearts will hold
Monday, December 1, 2008
Inspiration
I am pretty easily inspired on one hand but on another hand it takes a lot to truly inspire me. And today my friend Amy was telling me a story about her little boy Zane. I hung up the phone so inspired to believe that people can change and circumstances can change. As I drove down the road I smiled thinking, man it only took a 5 minute story to reinspire me today to dream big and not be discouraged.
The last few months have been filled with fun, friends, lots of processing, emotion, new things, and old things which have all made for some INCREDIBLE memories of this season of my life. At the same time I have wondered what is next. What are my dreams? What things has God created me to do in this world? Whether you have a relationship with God or not I genuinely and passionately believe you were made with specific dreams and abilities that are unique to you. And our world needs what you have. I was watching President Elect Obama this morning introduce his choice for his leadership team. As I sat there trying to take in what each person's job actually was I thought, man I don't even know what that they're saying as they explain the role with little bullet points to the right. And even when each person accepted the nomination and said why they were thankful and why they would be good, still nothin'...on some of their rolls at least. Lest I make my mother and boyfriend cringe, I do understand the big picture of each person's job, but it is the working out of what they actually do and all the knowledge and intuition they must naturally posses that kills me. I shook my head as I watched some of the rolls and thought, I could never do that but more than that I would NEVER want to do that. Now there were some rolls that sounded fun and I pictured myself doing it--like the United Nations Ambassador...Seriously?!!! I would love that. You are constantly building relationships and convincing people they need to do what you want them to do, while not making anyone too mad and getting people to like you....really?!! Could there be a more rewarding job on an international/change the world potentional level? Now I recoginize it is MUCH more than that designate Susan Rice will do. And she appears to be brilliant and well schooled and seasoned, but if I was picking which place I would want on the cabinet it would definitely be that one.
I digress, though...kind of, between watching President Elect Obama's Cabinet be announced and my conversation about Zane I got to thinking of how we really are all wired different. C'mon seriously? Did any of you who saw the Cabinet coverage pick which job you would do and why with such passion? I am just wired to think of what each person is created to do and do it to myself all the time. Whether I am watching Friends and picking which character I would be or watching our nation's President Elect pick his cabinet I just have to see which role is most me.
So what inspires me? People. I love people's stories. I love that everyone is created uniquely. I love that everyone has potential whether they choose to fulfill it our not. It is like having a bank account that is FULL of money that is yours to spend (wouldn't that be nice, huh?) But really, that is how I see people....human potential is a free commodity and endless in possibilities. Erwin McManus in a podcast called Focus, said a few weeks ago, "What would you fail at over and over again because it was your dream and you believe in it that much." I actually started crying as I heard that because I thought..."I have no dreams, I have no vision for my life, what am I doing with my life, I have nothing I will fail at over and over again." I was crying to Sam that night about how I have no dream for my life and I have never been in this spot before. And in typical amazing patient Sam way he reminded me I did have vision and there are things that I dream about. I nodded yes to him, but inside I think I still wondered. But the reality is for me that the thing I would fail at over and over again is people. I would rather believe in someone and call out their unique greatness and have them absolutely fail 100 times over, then to have never believed in them because they seemed like they might not succeed. I am a hopeless optimist when it comes to people. I looked up the definition of inspire today (which as close as I get to research--looking up a single definition) and was surprised at the actual definition:
"Fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."
I felt like I found my life statement all of a sudden...who knew in an Apple widget it was hiding? The irony is that the more you are with people the more they actually inspire you and the more you want to see other people inspired. It is this beautiful human potential Catch 22. Every person is creative....I believe we were made by a Creator, so while we are all not artsy, we are creative....how can we not be? It's in our DNA. Sometimes the creativity comes out on Global levels in jobs that make no sense to me, sometimes it comes out in your home with the way you organize your family and decorate your home, sometimes it is artsy, like my talented boyfriend with his photography. Each person holds this creativity that makes me so curious to see it come out and affect the world...
Funny I got up early and walked with my sweet sweet friend Abby and we talked about life and family and holidays and as she was trying to still wake up she asked do you really love mornings this much? And I said yeah I do, I love accomplishing so much by only 9AM. Who would have thought that I would be so reminded of what I love and what inspires me....a little brisk/cold morning walk, politics, an old friend, and a widget the combination today for inspiration.
The last few months have been filled with fun, friends, lots of processing, emotion, new things, and old things which have all made for some INCREDIBLE memories of this season of my life. At the same time I have wondered what is next. What are my dreams? What things has God created me to do in this world? Whether you have a relationship with God or not I genuinely and passionately believe you were made with specific dreams and abilities that are unique to you. And our world needs what you have. I was watching President Elect Obama this morning introduce his choice for his leadership team. As I sat there trying to take in what each person's job actually was I thought, man I don't even know what that they're saying as they explain the role with little bullet points to the right. And even when each person accepted the nomination and said why they were thankful and why they would be good, still nothin'...on some of their rolls at least. Lest I make my mother and boyfriend cringe, I do understand the big picture of each person's job, but it is the working out of what they actually do and all the knowledge and intuition they must naturally posses that kills me. I shook my head as I watched some of the rolls and thought, I could never do that but more than that I would NEVER want to do that. Now there were some rolls that sounded fun and I pictured myself doing it--like the United Nations Ambassador...Seriously?!!! I would love that. You are constantly building relationships and convincing people they need to do what you want them to do, while not making anyone too mad and getting people to like you....really?!! Could there be a more rewarding job on an international/change the world potentional level? Now I recoginize it is MUCH more than that designate Susan Rice will do. And she appears to be brilliant and well schooled and seasoned, but if I was picking which place I would want on the cabinet it would definitely be that one.
I digress, though...kind of, between watching President Elect Obama's Cabinet be announced and my conversation about Zane I got to thinking of how we really are all wired different. C'mon seriously? Did any of you who saw the Cabinet coverage pick which job you would do and why with such passion? I am just wired to think of what each person is created to do and do it to myself all the time. Whether I am watching Friends and picking which character I would be or watching our nation's President Elect pick his cabinet I just have to see which role is most me.
So what inspires me? People. I love people's stories. I love that everyone is created uniquely. I love that everyone has potential whether they choose to fulfill it our not. It is like having a bank account that is FULL of money that is yours to spend (wouldn't that be nice, huh?) But really, that is how I see people....human potential is a free commodity and endless in possibilities. Erwin McManus in a podcast called Focus, said a few weeks ago, "What would you fail at over and over again because it was your dream and you believe in it that much." I actually started crying as I heard that because I thought..."I have no dreams, I have no vision for my life, what am I doing with my life, I have nothing I will fail at over and over again." I was crying to Sam that night about how I have no dream for my life and I have never been in this spot before. And in typical amazing patient Sam way he reminded me I did have vision and there are things that I dream about. I nodded yes to him, but inside I think I still wondered. But the reality is for me that the thing I would fail at over and over again is people. I would rather believe in someone and call out their unique greatness and have them absolutely fail 100 times over, then to have never believed in them because they seemed like they might not succeed. I am a hopeless optimist when it comes to people. I looked up the definition of inspire today (which as close as I get to research--looking up a single definition) and was surprised at the actual definition:
"Fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."
I felt like I found my life statement all of a sudden...who knew in an Apple widget it was hiding? The irony is that the more you are with people the more they actually inspire you and the more you want to see other people inspired. It is this beautiful human potential Catch 22. Every person is creative....I believe we were made by a Creator, so while we are all not artsy, we are creative....how can we not be? It's in our DNA. Sometimes the creativity comes out on Global levels in jobs that make no sense to me, sometimes it comes out in your home with the way you organize your family and decorate your home, sometimes it is artsy, like my talented boyfriend with his photography. Each person holds this creativity that makes me so curious to see it come out and affect the world...
Funny I got up early and walked with my sweet sweet friend Abby and we talked about life and family and holidays and as she was trying to still wake up she asked do you really love mornings this much? And I said yeah I do, I love accomplishing so much by only 9AM. Who would have thought that I would be so reminded of what I love and what inspires me....a little brisk/cold morning walk, politics, an old friend, and a widget the combination today for inspiration.
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